Travelling scaffolding

ABSTRACT

Travelling scaffoldings must cope with manifold tasks and especially be characterized in that their resting surface must adapt to various conditions. In the disclosed scaffolding, the roller-bearing traverses (16) are subdivided into two parts and the parts (16a, 16b) are interconnected and slanted in relation to the rectangular base structure of the scaffolding, so that the widening traverses (15) allow the distance between the rollers to be increased in two mutually perpendicular directions.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a travelling scaffolding manufactured out ofprefabricated structural parts, essentially comprising vertical frameelements assembled out of posts, horizontal, rectangular platformsdefining the outline of the scaffolding, which platforms can be placedonto crossbars in the frame elements, which crossbars can, if necessary,also be used as ladder rungs, and can be equipped with openings anddefine longitudinal and/or transverse edges, diagonal longitudinaland/or transverse reinforcement, longitudinally and/or transverselyextending railing and/or in between spars fastened to the posts, androllers for moving the scaffolding, which rollers are mounted in pairson a horizontal beam-shaped slanting traverse belonging to each frameelement and provided on the lower end of the frame element, the rollerseach being fastened to the free end of a widening traverse, which isfastened along the slanting traverse and can be moved parallel on thesame, and the longitudinal axis of which is parallel to the associatedone of the slanting traverses, preferably, however, it is in alignmentwith the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Scaffoldings of this type are often very high and for setup must have asufficient stability without which the outer outline dimensionsspecified by the platform would have to be enlarged beyond the degree oftechnologically required and permissible for transport. It is thereforea familiar practice, and regulated by pertinent codes, that thestability of the base of the scaffolding is increased by being able topull the rollers arranged in pairs out of their transport position apartfrom each other, thus increasing the base area when setting up thescaffolding. The roller, however, cannot be moved additionally in adirection perpendicular to the one specified by the widening traverses.For this purpose, additional extension traverses would have to beinserted and thus the entire arrangement would be significantly morecomplicated. However, the expansion of the base in the perpendiculardirection is actually just as desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic purpose of the invention is therefore to design a travellingscaffolding of the type described above with simple means so that thebase can be increased in two horizontal directions perpendicular to oneanother during the operation compared with the outline permissible anddecisive for the transport without requiring significant additional workand expense.

The purpose is attained according to the invention by each slantingtraverse having two pieces, which are provided angled with respect toone another, and which in the outline of the scaffolding, on the onehand, are arranged symmetrically to one another and inwardly angled,and, on the other hand, each have one of the widening traverses whichcan be moved angled outwardly along the longitudinal axis of therespective piece of the slanting traverse.

A separate extension system transverse to an already existing system forwidening with the structural input necessary for operation is avoided inthis simple structure, nevertheless the purpose is attained to an extentsufficient for such scaffoldings. Depending on the degree the pieces areangled, the base can be more or less extensively enlarged in the one orother direction, thus improving the stability of the scaffolding. Thearrangement does not depend on the construction of other participatingstructural elements and is equally suited for entirely differentsystems.

The angled pieces can be designed to abut one another or can beconnected to one another by at least one further piece of the slantingtraverse, which further piece is preferably parallel to the cross bars,and can, for example, be screwed together, jointed by means of an angledplate, or can be welded together, other designs are also possible.Independent of the special design, care must be taken in every case thatthe connecting points of the pieces are safely constructed. This,however, is in view of the machine elements available in this field andthe state of the welding technique, a problem of a subordinate natureeasily mastered by a man skilled in the art.

A particularly advantageous invention is that the pieces and wideningtraverses are designed in cross section as a preferably rectangular,hollow profile piece. Such profiles can be manufactured with a highquality and inexpensively, for example, via an extrusion process.

It is advantageous when each vertical pipe piece for the support of theassociated roller is provided on the outer ends of the wideningtraverses, moreover, the roller can be replaced with support feet andcan be designed to elevationally adjust.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter inconnection with one exemplary embodiment and the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a scaffolding of the invention in a complete overview in athree-dimensional illustration.

FIG. 2 shows a modification of the scaffolding.

FIG. 3 shows a second modification of the scaffolding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A travelling scaffolding according to the invention consists, first ofall, of a system of vertical frame elements 1 manufactured out ofparallel posts 11, whereby several frame elements 1 can be connected oneabove the other, for example by providing plug bolts at the (upper) endsof their posts, onto which plug bolts the (lower) ends of thenext-higher posts 11 can be placed when they, as is conventional,consist of (circularly cylindrical) pipes. The vertical frame elements 1are (here) connected to each other through a horizontal platform 2,which rests on crossbars 12 of the vertical frame elements and arelocked to these in a suitable manner. The platform 2 can be equippedwith an opening, which can be designed, if necessary, also as closableby means of a flap. The opening makes it possible to use the crossbars12, which are welded at a narrow spacial dimension between the posts 11,as ladder rungs and to forego separate steps. The details are known andare only partially illustrated in the drawing.

The scaffolding is sufficiently reinforced by means of diagonal,longitudinal reinforcements 13, of course, in addition, it is alsopossible to provide transverse reinforcements, which, however, are notneeded here because of the close succession of the welded crossbars 12.The longitudinal reinforcements 13 are fastened to the crossbars 12.

It is possible to provide railing spars for safety reasons. The platform2 can be defined by longitudinal and transverse edges. The details ofwhich have no relationship to the invention and are left out of thedrawing.

Rollers 3 essentially permit the scaffolding to be able to be moved inits longitudinal direction T and are supported with a bearing in avertical pipe piece 14.

Widening traverses 15 are designed in cross section with a(elevational-) rectangular hollow profile, which can in each case bemoved in a slanting traverse 16, which is also (elevational-)rectangular in cross section.

The slanting traverse 16 consists of two pieces 16a, 16b, which areconnected at two abutting ends thereof. (FIG. 1). The slanting traversepieces 16a, 16b may also be connected through a further piece 16c whichis parallel to the crossbars 12 (FIG. 2). Screw connections S areindicated in the drawing, which rigidly connect these ends through anangled plate 17 moved into the pieces 16a, 16b. A lower end of one ofthe posts 11 is fastened to another end of the pieces 16a, 16b, and theassociated widening traverse 15 is longitudinally movably supported onthe other end.

The drawing easily illustrates the arrangement of the pieces 16a, 16b,they are arranged--in the top view--directed angled inwardly of thescaffolding on the posts 11 so that the widening traverses 15 are movedangled outwardly, and, in this manner, enlarge the supporting base ofthe scaffolding in both length and width.

I claim:
 1. A travelling scaffolding manufactured out of prefabricatedstructural parts, comprising:(a) a plurality of vertical frame elementseach assembled out of pairs of vertical posts and a plurality ofcrossbars extending between each pair of posts, the crossbars beingadapted for use as ladder rungs, (b) at least one horizontal,rectangular platform determining the outline of the scaffolding, theplatform being placed onto the crossbars of the frame elements and beingequipped with openings, the platform defining longitudinal andtransverse edges of the scaffolding, (c) means for reinforcing thevertical frame elements to provide structural stability, (d) at leastone of longitudinally and transversely extending railings fastenedbetween posts of frame elements, and (e) a base for the scaffolding, thebase comprising a plurality of horizontally slanting beam-shapedtraverses connected to a lower end of each of the frame elements, twoelongate widening traverses fastened to each of the slanting traverses,each widening traverse having a free end, and rollers respectivelymounted at the free ends of the widening traverses for moving thescaffolding, (f) each of the slanting traverses having two connectedelongate pieces angled with respect to one another, the two pieces beingarranged symmetrically to one another and inwardly angled forming aV-shape, each slanting traverse being separate and spaced from eachother, each of the two pieces being connected to one of the wideningtraverses, the widening traverses being movable outwardly along alongitudinal axis of the respective piece, one of the two wideningtraverses being parallel to one of the two pieces, the second of the twowidening traverses being parallel to the second of the two pieces, thelongitudinal axis of the one widening traverse being parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the one piece, the longitudinal axis of the secondwidening traverse being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the secondpiece.
 2. The travelling scaffolding according to claim 1, wherein atleast one further piece of the slanting traverse connects the twopieces, the further piece extending parallel to the crossbars.
 3. Thetravelling scaffolding according to claim 1, wherein the two pieces arescrewed together.
 4. The travelling scaffolding according to claim 3,wherein at least one angled plate connects the pieces and is screwedthereto.
 5. The travelling scaffolding according to claim 1, wherein thepieces are welded together.
 6. The travelling scaffolding according toclaim 1, wherein cross sections of the two pieces and cross sections ofthe widening traverses each have a rectangular hollow profile.
 7. Thetravelling scaffolding according to claim 1, wherein a vertical pipepiece for supporting the associated roller is provided on the outer,free ends of the widening traverses.
 8. A mobile scaffolding,comprising:a first frame element having first and second adjacentvertical posts, a second frame element having third and fourth adjacentvertical posts, a first plurality of bars extending between the firstand second posts, a second plurality of bars extending between the thirdand fourth posts, the first, second, third, and fourth posts each havinga lower end; at least one rectangular platform connected to the firstand second frame elements, the rectangular platform extendinghorizontally and defining a longitudinal axis of the scaffolding; meansfor reinforcing the structural integrity of the scaffolding connected tothe first and second vertical frame elements; an elongate baseconsisting of: (a) a horizontally extending, elongate first beamconnected to the lower end of the first post at a location adjacent thefirst end of the first beam, (b) a horizontally extending, elongatesecond beam connected to the lower end of the second post at a locationadjacent the first end of the second beam, (c) a horizontally extending,elongate third beam connected to the lower end of the third post at alocation adjacent the first end of the third beam, and (d) ahorizontally extending, elongate fourth beam connected to the lower endof the fourth post at a location adjacent the first end of the fourthbeam, the second ends of the first and second beams abut each other, thesecond ends of the third and fourth beams abut each other, the first,second, third and fourth beams extending at a nonperpendicular anglewith respect to the longitudinal axis of the base, whereby the first andsecond beams form a first V-shape, the third and fourth beams form asecond V-shape, the first and second V-shapes being seperate and spacedfrom each other; means for expanding the base in a direction parallel tothe longitudinal direction of the scaffolding and simultaneously in adirection perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the scaffoldingwhereby the stability of the scaffolding is improved, the means forexpanding including first, second, third, and fourth elongatebase-widening members respectively extending from the first, second,third, and fourth beams, the first end of the first, second, third, andfourth members being movably connected to the respective first, second,third, and fourth beam, the first member being movable only along thelongitudinal direction of the first beam, the second member beingmovable only along the longitudinal direction of the second beam, thethird member being movable only along the longitudinal direction of thethird beam, the fourth member being movable only along the longitudinaldirection of the fourth beam; and means for moving the scaffoldingmounted only at the second ends of the first, second, third and fourthbeams.